Jogging device

ABSTRACT

A jogging device which is particularly suited for aligning the edges of paper documents has a resilient destortable member of magnetically attractable material which is shaped to provide two jogging surfaces positioned adjacent to each other and angularly disposed with respect to each other. An electromagnetic means is mounted directly on the distortable member and when excited by an alternating current will produce rapid changes in the angular relationship between the two jogging surfaces of the distortable member.

United States Patent 1 1 Totten 1 Jan. 28, 1975 1 JOGGING DEVICE [76] Inventor: Cecil R. Totten, 3344 E. Paradise Prmfary bxam wr-EvOn Blun.k

Dr Phoenix Arm 85028 Ans/slant E.rummer-James W. M1ller Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Herbert E. Haynes, Jr. [22] Filed: Nov. 20, 1973 1211 Appl. No.: 417,491 1 1 ABSTRACT A jogging device which is particularly suited for align- 52 us. c1. 271/210, 271/221 mg the edges of Paper dmllmcms has resilient 1511 1111. c1 B65h 1/02, B65h 31/38 f l member of magnetlcally tractable [58] Field of Search 271/210, 221, 222-, Y Shaped Pmvde Jbgging Surfaces l98/22O DC! 220 BA t1oned ad acent to each other and angularly disposed with respect to each other. An electromagnetic means [56] References Cited is mounted directly on the distortable member and UNITED STATES PATENTS when exc1ted by an alternatmg current will produce rapid changes 1n the angular relationship between the two jogging surfaces of the distortable member.

3,367,652 2/1968 Stobb 271 210 6 Claim 5 ra ing Figures uunuu PATENTEU 3.862J52 SHEEI 2 OF 2 JOGGING nEvicE BACKGROUND'OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to jogging devices and more particularly to a jogging device which is particularly suitable for aligning the edges of paper documents.

2. Description of the Prior Art Many devices have been developed which are particularly suited for vibrating or jogging documents such as bank checks, encoded cards for data processing, and other documents wherein it is desired to align the edges of a plurality of documents.

Prior art jogging devices usually comprise an electromagnetic means for attracting a substantially flat ferromagnetic table and alternately expanding and collapsing of the magnetic field will cause the table to vibrate. The alternate attracting and releasing of the table induces a vibration which causes the paper documents supported by the table to be jogged, thereby tending to align the edges of surfaces on which the documents are supported. Devices of this nature are usually relatively small and include a cabinet which supports the table and houses the electromagnetic means and -.the necessary transformers, controls, and the like. One drawback of these prior art devices is that the vibrating table is anchored to the cabinet and thus vibrations are transmitted to the cabinet and objectionable noise results. The devices vibrate at such a rate that the cabinet will oftentimes walk on the surface on which it is supported. Another drawback of the prior art is that the electromagnet is also anchored to the cabinet which thus absorbs and/or dampens any movements of the electromagnet which would otherwise result from the energizing and deenergizing thereof in the proximity of the table. In other words, when the electromagnet is energized there is the tendency for the table to move toward the electromagnet and for the electromagnet to, move toward the table. Likewise, when the electromagnet is deen'ergized, both the table and the electromagnet tend to rebound. Therefore, by anchoring the electromagnet to the cabinet a large percentage of the attracting and rebounding forces are absorbed by the cabinet rather than being utilized to produce vibrations or jogging of the table. It may now be seen that prior art electromagnet mounting techniques result in com pounding of the noise and walking problems and also wastes energy.

In view of the foregoing, a need exists for a new and useful jogging device which overcomes some of the problems and inefficiencies of the prior art SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the disclosure, a new and useful jogging device, which is particularly suited for aligning the edges of documents, is provided with a suitable cab inet in which a resilient distortable member of ferromagnetic material is mounted on shock absorbing feet. The distortable member is shaped to form two jogging surfaces which are positioned adjacent to each other and are angularly disposed with respect to each other. The jogging surfaces protrude from the cabinet and may be adapted to hold a plurality of documents placed thereon for aligning purposes. An electromagnet is employed to distort the member, and is mounted directly on the distortable member so that when excited by an alternating current, all of the mutual forces of attraction and rebounding will be utilized to produce changes of the angular relationship between the jogging surfaces.

Mounting of the electromagnet directly on the distortable member and shaping that member so that it is capable of utilizing substantially all of the attracting and rebounding forces, results in the device of the present invention overcoming some of the problems and inefficiencies of the prior art in that the present device is 'quieter, will not walk, and requires less power to accomplish the same amount of work.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and useful jogging device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and useful jogging device which is particularly suitable for aligning the edges of documents.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and useful jogging device in which a novel distortable member and electromagnet mounting technique are employed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and useful jogging device of the above described character which is quiet of operation. will resist the tendency to walk across a supporting surface, and will efficiently utilize the power supplied thereto.

The foregoing and other objects of the present invention, as well as the invention itself, may be more fully understood from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the jogging. device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3- 3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a diagramatic view illustrating the movements of the jogging device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 illustrating a modification of the present invention and the resulting movements thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring more particularly to the drawings, FIG. I

, shows the jogging device of the present invention, indicated generally by the reference numeral 10, as having a cabinet 12 with a suitable control panel 14. The device 10 is shown as having a plurality of divider panels 16, as will hereinafter be described in detail, so that the jogging device is adapted for aligning the edges of a plurality of documents (not shown).

As seen best in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cabinet 12 has a base plate 18, with suitable cabinet supporting feet 20, and has a housing 22 attached thereto such as with screws 24. The housing 22 is formed with a rearwardly upwardly angularly extending surface 26 having an opening 28 formed therein the purpose for which will hereinafter be described.

A resilient deformable member 30 of ferromagnetic material is mounted on the base plate 18 with shock mounts 32 ofa type well known in the art. The deformable member 30 is shaped into a closed loop configuration to form a mounting plate or surface 34 which is secured by means of the shock mounts 32 to the cabinet 10. The mounting plate 34 is bent angularly upwardly at its forward end 35 to form a first jogging surface 36 which extends outwardly through the opening 28 of the cabinet. The mounting plate 34 is also bent at its rearwardly disposed end 37 to form an upwardly directed interconnecting plate or surface 38. The interconnecting plate 38 is bent at its uppermost end 39 to form a forwardly extending attractable plate or surface 40 which is disposed in substantially parallel relationship with the mounting plate 34. The attractable plate 40 extends forwardly so that its front end 41 protrudes through the opening 28 of the cabinet 12. The front end 41 of the attractable plate 40 is bent to provide an angularly downwardly forwardly disposed second jogging surface 42 which also protrudes through the opening 28 of the cabinet. The second jogging surface 42 is bent at its lower or extended end 43 to provide a rearwardly extending securing plate or surface 44 which is parallel to and spaced above the mounting plate 34. The securing plate 44 extends rearwardly and has a terminal end 45 which is positioned substantially intermediate the front end 35 and the rearwardly disposed end 37 of the mounting plate 34.

It may now be seen that the first and the second jogging surfaces 36 and 42, respectively, are positioned adjacent to each other and are angularly disposed with respect to each other. As will hereinafter be explained in detail, when the deformable member 30 is in the relaxed state, as shown in FIG. 2, the first and second jogging surfaces 36 and 42 are substantially perpendicular.

It should be noted that the deformable member 30 is a unitary structure which may be shaped from one elongated plate of ferromagnetic material, or may be fabricated from two or more plates suitably coupled together such as with bolts 46.

An electromagnet 48 having the usual core 49 and windings 50 is mounted upon an upwardly facing elongated U-shaped channel 51 which is in turn secured by means of bolts 52 and compression springs 53 to the mounting plate 34, and also secures the terminal end 45 of the securing plate 44 thereto. The electromagnet 48 extends upwardly. from the channel 51 so that the windings 50 and core 49 are in close proximity to the lower surface of the attractable plate 40.

The operation of the device will now be described in detail with particular reference being made to FIG. 4 of the drawings. The electromagnet 48 is energized by applying an alternating current thereto in a well known manner. A magnetic flux is induced by current flow through the windings 50, and the attractable surface 40 will be attracted toward the electromagnet 48 and the electromagnet will be attracted toward attractable surface 40. This mutual attraction will produce distortion of the distortable member 30 as will be described. When the alternating current reaches zero, the magnetic field collapses, and the mutual attraction between the electromagnet and the attractable surface ceases. Accordingly, the electromagnet 48 and the distortable member 30 will attempt to rebound to their relaxed state, but due to inertia will travel beyond their at rest positions. The above movements of mutual attraction and rebounding will be repeated at a rapid rate due to the cycling of the applied alternating current.

The movements of the distortable member 30 resulting from the mutual attracting and rebounding forces are best seen in FIG. 4 wherein the relaxed state of the deformable member 30 is shown in solid lines. When the electromagnet 48 is energized, the mutual attracting forces will cause the deformable member 30 to move to the'dotted line position. That is. the mounting surface 34 will bow upwardly and the attractable surface will move downwardly and rearwardly. Therefore, the first jogging surface 36 will be moved downwardly with a pivot like movement and the second jogging surface 42 will move downwardly and rearwardly with a pivot like movement. In other words, the angular relationship between the first and second jogging surfaces 36 and 42, which is approximately a right angle in the relaxed state, will become an obtuse angle upon the occurrence of the mutually attracting forces. The occurrence of the rebounding forces will cause the distortable member 30 to move to the dashed line position, FIG. 4, and thus the angular relationship between the first and second jogging surfaces 36 and 42 will move from the obtuse angle created by the attracting forces, through the relaxed state relationship of approximately to an acute angular relationship.

It will be noted that the above described movements of the distortable member 30 were produced as described by placement of the shock mounts 32 adjacent to each of the front and rearwardly disposed ends 35 and 37 of the mounting surface 34 at locations equidistant from its central point. This specific placement of the shock mounts, which act as pivot points or fulcrums, results in the movements of the jogging surfaces 36 and 42 having specific relationships and characteristics. The amount of travel of each of the surfaces 36 and 42 is controlled by the placement ofthe mounts 32. thus, the travel, or amplitude relationship of the surfaces may be altered by changing the location ofthe desired shock mounts. It should be noted that by precise positioning of the shock mounts, a null point can be achieved so that little or no vibrations will be transmitted to the cabinet 10.

In the modification of the present invention shown in FIG. 5, the shock mounts 32 are all located between the central point and the rearwardly disposed end 37 of the mounting plate 34. This specific mounting arrangement will cause the angular relationship between the first and second jogging surfaces 36 and 42 to move to an acute angle (dotted lines) during the occurrence of the attracting forces and move to the obtuse angle (dashed lines) when the rebounding forces occur. This is, of course, opposite to the sequence hereinbefore described with relation to FIG. 4, and different amounts of travel, or movement amplitudes, of the jogging surfaces 36 and 42 are also produced.

As hereinbefore described, the jogging device 10 is particularly well suited for use as a mechanism for aligning the edges of a plurality of documents (not shown). For this purpose, the device 10 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to include the divider panels 16 suitably attached to the second jogging surface 42 of the deformable member 30. The divider panels 16 serve to divide the surface 42 into a plurality of bins 55 which may be described as being of upwardly angularly disposed U-shaped cross sectional configuration and are suitable for containing elongated documents standing on their longitudinal edges. Examples of documents of the type suitable for this particular bin and partition arrangement would be bank checks, punched cards for data processing, and the like. Any documents (not shown) which are placed in the bins 55 will slide down so that their short ends protrude from the lower open ends 56 of the bins 55 and come in contact with the first jogging surface 36 of the deformable member 30 which closes those open ends. The high rate of change of the angular relationship between the jogging surfaces 36 and 42 produce a jogging of the documents thereby tending to align the edges thereof.

While the principles of the invention have now been made clear in an illustrated embodiment, there will be immediately obvious to those skilled in the art, many modifications of structure, arrangements, proportions, the elements, materials, and components used in the practice of the invention, and otherwise, which are particularly adapted for specific environments and operation requirements without departing from those principles. The appended claims are therefore intended to cover and embrace any such modifications within the limits only of the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

l. a device for producing a jogging movement comprising:

a. a mounting plate;

b. a plurality of shock mounts attached to said mounting plate;

c. a resilient distortable member mounted on said shock mounts and shaped to have a first and a second jogging surfaces positioned adjacent each other and angularly disposed with respect to each other, said distortable member adapted to change the angular relationship between the first and the second jogging surfaces thereof upondistortion of said distortable member;

d. means mounted on said distortable member for producing distortion thereof; and

e. said resilient distortable member is a unitary structure shaped into a closed loop configuration which comprises, a mounting surface from which the first jogging surface extends and upon which said means is mounted, an attractable surface substantially parallel to the mounting surface and from which said second jogging surface extends, the mounting surface and the attractable surface of said distortable member both moving when said means applies a distorting force thereto and both rebounding when the distorting force is interrupted.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the angular relationship between the first jogging surface and the second jogging surface of said distortable member is substantially a right angle in the relaxed state of said distortable member and will move to an obtuse angle when said means exerts a distorting force and will rebound to an acute angle when the distorting force is interrupted.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the angular relationship between the first jogging surface and the second jogging surface is substantially a right angle when said distortable member is in the relaxed state and will change to an acute angle when said means applies a distorting force and will rebound to an obtuse angle when the distorting force is interrupted.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said resilient distortable member further comprises:

a. said mounting surface is attached to said shock mounts and having one end thereof from which said first jogging surface angularly extends;

b. said attractable surface is spaced from said mounting surface, said attractable surface having said second jogging surface extending angularly from one end thereof toward said first jogging surface;

c. an interconnecting surface extending between the opposite end of said mounting surface and the opposite end of said attractable surface; and

d. a securing surface protruding from the extended end of said second jogging surface and disposed substantially parallel to said mounting surface and positioned between said mounting surface and said attractable surface, said securing surface having a terminal end which is secured to said mounting surface.

5. A jogging device for aligning the edges of a plurality of documents comprising:

a. a cabinet having a base plate and having an opening formed in a forwardly disposed surface thereof;

b. a resilient distortable member of ferromagnetic material formed into a closed loop configuration and having a first jogging surface and a second jogging surface both of which extend through the opening of said housing and are adjacent each other and angularly disposed with respect to each other;

c. shock mounts attached to the base plate of said cabinet and attached to said resiliently distortable member for mounting thereof within said cabinet;

d. an electromagnet mounted directly on said distortable member for applying a distorting force thereto when said electromagnet is energized and releasing that distorting force when said electromagnet is deenergized, the application of the distorting force causing a change in the angular relationship between the first and the second jogging surfaces and releasing of the distorting forces allowing the first and the second jogging surfaces to rebound; and

e. at least one document holding bin mounted on said second jogging surface, said bin formed in an upwardly angularly facing U-shaped in cross section configuration with the lower end thereof being closed by the second jogging surface.

6. A jogging device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said resiliently distortable member comprises:

a. a mounting surface having a forwardly disposed portion integral with the first jogging surface from which the first jogging surface forwardly angularly upwardly extends, said mounting surface having a rearwardly disposed portion;

b. an attractable surface substantially parallel to and spaced above said mounting surface, said attractable surface having a forwardly disposed portion integral with the second jogging surface and from which the second jogging surface forwardly angularly downwardly extends to position an extending end of the second jogging surface adjacent to the first jogging surface, said attractable plate having a rearwardly disposed portion;

c. an interconnecting surface integral with the rearwardly disposed portion of said attractable surface and integral with the rearwardly disposed portion of said mounting surface; and

d. a securing surface integral with the extending end of the second jogging surface and extending rearwardly therefrom in a substantially parallel relationship with said mounting surface, said securing surface having a terminal end which is attached to said mounting surface between the forwardly and rearwardly disposed portions thereof. 

1. A DEVICE FOR PRODUCING A JOGGING MOVEMENT COMPRISING: A. A MOUNTING PLATE; B. A PLURALITY OF SHOCK MOUNTS ATTACHED TO SAID MOUNTING PLATE; C. A RESILIENT DISTORTABLE MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID SHOCK MOUNTS AND SHAPED TO HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND JOGGING SURFACES POSITIONED ADJACENT EACH OTHER AND ANGULARLY DISPOSED WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER, SAID DISTORTABLE MEMBER ADAPTED TO CHANGE THE ANGULAR RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE FIRST AND THE SECOND JOGGING SURFACES THEREOF UPON DISTORTION OF SAID DISTORTABLE MEMBER; D. MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID DISTORTABLE MEMBER FOR PRODUCING DISTORTION THEREOF; AND E. SAID RESILIENT DISTORTABLE MEMBER IS A UNITARY STRUCTURE SHAPED INTO A CLOSED LOOP CONFIGURATION WHICH COMPRISES, A MOUNTING SURFACE FROM WHICH THE FIRST JOGGING SURFACE EXTENDS AND UPON WHICH SAID MEANS IS MOUNTED, AN ATTRACTABLE SURFACE SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE MOUNTING SURFACE AND FROM WHICH SAID SECOND JOGGING SURFACE EXTENDS, THE MOUNTING SURFACE AND THE ATTRACTABLE SURFACE OF SAID DISTORTABLE MEMBER BOTH MOVING WHEN SAID MEANS APPLIES A DISTORTING FORCE THERETO AND BOTH REBOUNDING WHEN THE DISTORTING FORCE IS INTERRUPTED.
 2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the angular relationship between the first jogging surface and the second jogging surface of said distortable member is substantially a right angle in the relaxed state of said distortable member and will move to an obtuse angle when said means exerts a distorting force and will rebound to an acute angle when the distorting force is interrupted.
 3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the angular relationship between the first jogging surface and the second jogging surface is substantially a right angle when said distortable member is in the relaxed state and will change to an acute angle when said means applies a distorting force and will rebound to an obtuse angle when the distorting force is interrupted.
 4. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said resilient distortable member further comprises: a. said mounting surface is attached to said shock mounts and having one end thereof from which said first jogging surface angularly extends; b. said attractable surface is spaced from said mounting surface, said attractable surface having said second jogging surface extending angularly from one end thereof toward said first jogging surface; c. an interconnecting surface extending between the opposite end of said mounting surface and the opposite end of said attractable surface; and d. a securing surface protruding from the extended end of said second jogging surface and disposed substantially parallel to said mounting surface and positioned between said mounting surface and said attractable surface, said securing surface having a terminal end which is secured to said mounting surface.
 5. A jogging device for aligning the edges of a plurality of documents comprising: a. a cabinet having a base plate and having an opening formed in a forwardly disposed surface thereof; b. a resilient distortable member of ferromagnetic material formed into a closed loop configuration and having a first jogging surface and a second jogging surface both of which extend through the opening of said housing and are adjacent each other and angularly disposed with respect to each other; c. shock mounts attached to the base plate of said cabinet and attached to said resiliently distortable member for mounting thereof within said cabinet; d. an electromagnet mounted directly on said distortable member for applying a distorting force thereto when said electromagnet is energized and releasing that distorting force when said electromagnet is deenergized, the application of the distorting force causing a change in the angular relationship between the first and the second jogging surfaces and releasing of the distorting forces allowing the first and the second jogging surfaces to rebound; and e. at least one document holding bin mounted on said second jogging surface, said bin formed in an upwardly angularly facing U-shaped in cross section configuration with the lower end thereof being closed by the second jogging surface.
 6. A jogging device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said resiliently distortable member comprises: a. a mounting surface having a forwardly disposed portion integral with the first jogging surface from which the first jogging surface forwardly angularly upwardly extends, said mounting surface having a rearwardly disposed portion; b. an attractable surface substantially parallel to and spaced above said mounting surFace, said attractable surface having a forwardly disposed portion integral with the second jogging surface and from which the second jogging surface forwardly angularly downwardly extends to position an extending end of the second jogging surface adjacent to the first jogging surface, said attractable plate having a rearwardly disposed portion; c. an interconnecting surface integral with the rearwardly disposed portion of said attractable surface and integral with the rearwardly disposed portion of said mounting surface; and d. a securing surface integral with the extending end of the second jogging surface and extending rearwardly therefrom in a substantially parallel relationship with said mounting surface, said securing surface having a terminal end which is attached to said mounting surface between the forwardly and rearwardly disposed portions thereof. 